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In phone call with Chinese President, Ban stresses need for continued cooperation

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
UN Photo/M. Garten (file photo)
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

In phone call with Chinese President, Ban stresses need for continued cooperation

During a phone call with the newly elected Chinese President Xi Jinping, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon stressed the need for continued cooperation between the United Nations and the Asian country, adding that they have many goals in common.

“The Secretary-General said he was confident that cooperation between China and the United Nations would continue to grow because China's path of peaceful development had many common elements with his own agenda on durable peace, conflict prevention, sustainable development and human rights for all,” Mr. Ban's spokesperson said in a statement issued last night.

In particular, Mr. Ban noted the common efforts to support Africa's peace and development initiatives.

During the call, Mr. Ban also expressed concern about mounting tensions on the Korean peninsula.

Last month, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) conducted a nuclear test prompting the Security Council to tighten sanctions on the country's trade and banking, as well as travel by targeted officials. The DPRK then reportedly said it was cancelling the 1953 Armistice Agreement that ended the Korean War.

Mr. Ban commended China's role in the Security Council in dealing with matters relating to the DPRK, and said he counted on China's continued leadership on this matter.